Shelf and bracket therefor



- April 24, 1934. H. G. VOIGHT SHELF AND BRACKET THEREFOR Filed July 21,1932 Patented Apr. 24, 1934 PAEN'T FFlCE SHELF AND BRACKET THEREFORApplication July 21, 1932, Serial No. 623,790

11 Claims.

My invention relates to shelves and brackets therefor and moreparticularly to shelves made of sheet material, such as sheet metal, theparts of which may be shipped in knocked-down condition and readilyassembled and secured to a wall or other support when they are to beused. Shelves of this character may be made of material of relativelylight weight and at the same time strong and durable, and such shelveswill not only be more sanitary than .the ordinary wooden shelf, but willbe more easily kept clean and may be given a decorative finish tocorrespond to the finish of the kitchen, closet, bathroom, or other roomin which they may be used.

One object of the invention is to provide a shelf made of sheet materialand supports or brackets therefor which may be economically made andwhich will at the same time be durable and present a pleasingappearance.

Another object of the invention is to provide a bracket and shelf ofsuch character that they may be shipped in disassembled or knockeddowncondition and assembled, when ready to be installed, in a convenientmanner, and the connections being such that the parts will be firmlysecured together.

Another object of the invention is to provide a shelf of sheet material,such as-sheet metal, and a bracket therefor such that after the brackethas been secured upon a supporting surface, the shelf may be readily andconveniently secured thereto without the use of any special tools.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a shelf of thecharacter described and a bracket therefor of such a character that theshelf may be detachably secured to the bracket at a point adjacent thefront edgeand rear edge of the shelf whereby the latter will be heldfirmly and securely upon the brackets, so that there will be no dangerof its rocking when in place, and which parts are so constructed thatthe shelf may be readily installed by anyone without the use of anyspecial tools and may be shipped in knocked-down condition so that itwill occupy a very small space. i

To these and other ends the invention consists in the novel features andcombinations of parts to be hereinafter described and claimed.

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a front elevational View of a shelf embodying my invention,the shelf being shown secured to a wall or other vertical surface;

Fig. 2 is a sectional view through one of the shelf brackets on line 2-2of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary sectional view on line 33 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary sectional view on line 4-4 of Fig. 3; and

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary View showing a portion of the flange at the backof the shelf.

In order to illustrate a preferred embodiment of my invention, I haveshown a shelf 10 supported upon a pair of brackets designated generallyby the numeral 11. The shelf comprises a supporting or body member 12and a flange 13 which in this instance extends about all four sides ofthe shelf, which is made of sheet material. Preferably, the flange willbe integral with the member 12, and as this flange is bent downwardlyfrom the body member, it will give the shelf the appearance of havingsubstantial depth.

Ihe flange 13 at the rear edge of the shelf adjacent the brackets 11 isprovided with slots 14 and 15 leaving therebetween tongues 16, therebeing one of these tongues adjacent each of the brackets 11, as will behereinafter explained. Adjacent the front end of the shelf, the metalthereof is displaced downwardly to provide recesses 17 each having anopening or slot 18 through the material of the shelf in the bottom ofthe recess. It will be understood that there will be one of the recesses17 adjacent each of the brackets 11.

The brackets 11 comprise a back member 19 which usually will be disposedin a vertical position, and a horizontal member made up of two parts 20and 21, the latter being offset downwardly from the former but connectedthereto by the inclined portion 22. It will be understood that the parts19, 20 and 21 will usually be formed integrally and in general presentan L shaped member, one leg of which is adapted to be secured to thewall, and the other adapted to support the shelf.

The material of the member 19 is displaced outwardly along anintermediate portion thereof, as shown at 23, so as to present alongitudinal rib which will stand outwardly from the wall or othersurface 24 to which the bracket is secured, so as to be in a positionspaced from the wall. At the upper end, the portion 23 is enlarged inwidth, as shown at 25, so as to present between the bracket and the walla pocket 26 to receive the tongue 16, as will be hereinafter explained.

A brace member 2'7 connects the lower end of the member 19 with theouter end of the member 21. This brace member may be, as illustrated,detachably secured to the rest of the bracket. To this end a slot 28 isprovided in the part 23 of the bracket 19, and the member 2'7 isprovided 110 with a tongue 29 which enters this slot, the lower end ofthe tongue having a lip 30 thereon to drop down over the lower edge ofthe slot and hold the parts in assembled position. It will, of course,be understood that the lower end of the part 27 may be riveted orotherwise secured to the part 19 if a detachable connection is notdesired.

At the outer end the member 21 is provided with a slot 31 designed toregister with the slot 18 in the bottom of the depression 17 when theparts are in place, and the member 27 is provided with a tongue 32 whichis adapted to be inserted through both slots 31 and 18, and which has alip 33 to engage over the bottom of the depression 1'7. This, as will bereadily understood, not only holds the member 2? secured to the member21, but also detachably secures the front end of the shelf to thebracket.

The bracket 11 may be provided with openings to receive fasteningmembers 34, such as nails, screws, or the like, and the tongue 16 isprovided with an opening 35 registering with a similar opening in thebracket so that a fastening member 36 may be inserted through both theshelf and the bracket to insure that these parts will be maintained intheir proper relation.

It is believed that the advantages of my device will be apparent fromthe foregoing description, but it may serve a useful purpose to explainbriefly the method of installing the shelf, and the manner in which itis secured to the brackets.

It will be understood that the shelf is shipped in knocked-downcondition, the brackets 11 not being secured to the shelf 10. Also thepart 27 which is detachable may or may not be secured to the remainderof the bracket. The brackets are first secured to the wall by means ofthe fastening members 34. The part 27 may have already been assembledwith the rest of the bracket, but this is not necessary, as thefastening members may first be driven into the wall, and thereafter thetongues 29 and 32 may be inserted into the slots 23 and 31, the lips 30and 33 engaging over the edge of the slots to hold the member 27 inplace. It will be understood that the horizontal portion 21 of thebracket will possess sufficiently resiliency to spring upwardly topermit this to be done.

The shelf may then be placed upon the bracket with the rear edge tiltedupwardly by reason of the engagement of the flange at the rear edge withthe top of the bracket, and the edge of the slot 18 in the depression 17in the shelf slipped under the lip 33 of the tongue 32. It will, ofcourse, be understood that there will be one of these depressions foreach of the brackets 11, and the engagement of the tongues 32 with theedges of the slots 18 will be accomplished at the same time.

The tongue 16 will now overlie the pockets 26 at the rear of the shelfand may be slipped downwardly into these pockets so that the undersurface of the part 12 will rest upon the'upper surface of the part 20.Fastening member 36 may now be passed through the part 25 and the tongue16 so as to prevent the shelf working up at the rear end. By this meansthe shelf will be securely held in place at all times.

It will be understood that while I have provided means for the assemblyof the shelf and bracket, the parts are so arranged that the shelf willhave a support upon the bracket both at the front portion and at therear portion thereof so that the shelf will be solidly supported,notwithstanding the fact that the arrangement for connecting the partscomprises a depressed portion in the shelf. This is, of course,accomplished by spacing the part 20 of the bracket a sufficient distanceabove the part 21 to contact with the under surface of the shelfadjacent its rear edge.

While I- have shown and described a preferred embodiment of myinvention, it will be understood ihat it is not to be limited to all ofthe details shown, but is capable of modification and variation withinthe spirit of the invention and within the scope of the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. A shelf and a bracket therefor, said shelf having a slotted depressedportion in the supporting surface thereof and said bracket having amember below the shelf abutting the lower surface thereof, said memberhaving an offset portion abutting the lower surface of said depression,and means upon the bracket passing through the slot in said depressionto secure the bracket to the shelf.

2. A shelf having a slotted depressed portion in the surface thereof, abracket having a raised portion abutting the lower surface of the shelf,an offset lower portion underlying and abutting the depressed portion ofthe shelf, the bracket being provided with means passing through theslot in the shelf and located in the depressed portion thereof to securethe bracket to the shelf, and said depressed portion being adjacent thefront edge of the shelf whereby the latter has a bearing on the bracketadjacent both the front and rear edges thereof.

3. A shelf and a bracket therefor, the bracket being adapted to besecured to a wall or other vertical surface, means detachably securingthe bracket to the shelf adjacent the outer end of the bracket, theinner end of said bracket being provided with an upwardly facing pocket,and said shelf being provided with a downwardly projecting tongueentering said pocket.

4. A sheet metal shelf and a sheet metal bracket therefor, the bracketbeing adapted to be secured to a wall or other vertical surface, meansdetachably securing the bracket to the shelf adjacent the outer end ofthe bracket, means connecting the inner edge of the shelf to the bracketcomprising a tongue formed integrally with one of said members, and apocket formed in the other to receive said tongue.

5. A shelf bracket comprising a vertical portion and a horizontallydisposed portion, the vertical portion of the bracket being providedwith a raised longitudinally extending rib having a slot therein, thehorizontal portion of the bracket being provided with a slot adjacentthe free end thereof, a brace member having tongues extending throughsaid slots and having lips extending over the edges of the slots, ashelf supported upon the bracket and having a part engaging beneath thelip on one of said tongues.

6. A shelf bracket comprising a vertical portion and a horizontallydisposed portion, the vertical portion of the bracket being providedwith a raised longitudinally extending rib having a slot therein, thehorizontal portion of the bracket being provided with a slot adjacentthe free end thereof, a brace member having tongues extending throughsaid slots and having lips extending over the edges of the slots, and ashelf supported on said bracket and having a slotted depressed portionin the surface thereof above the bracket, one of the tongues of thebracket extending through the slot in the shelf and the lip of saidtongue extending over the edge of the slot.

'7. A shelf and a bracket therefor, means for securing said membersdetachably together comprising an upstanding tongue upon the bracket, aslot in the shelf through which said tongue projects, and said tonguehaving a lip thereon to over-lie the edge of the slot.

8. A shelf and a bracket therefor, means for securing said membersdetachably together comprising an upstanding tongue upon the bracket, aslot in the shelf through which said tongue projects, said tongue havinga lip thereon to over-lie the edge of the slot, and said slot beingprovided in a depression in the shelf whereby the upper edge of thetongue lies below the surface of the shelf.

9. A shelf bracket having a vertically disposed portion adapted to besecured to a wall, and a horizontally disposed portion, said verticallydisposed portion having an outwardly displaced longitudinal rib betweenthe side edges thereof, said rib adjacent the upper portion of thebracket being enlarged laterally to provide a pocket between the bracketmember and the wall, said bracket member having portions engaging thewall upon each side of the pocket, a diagonal brace member connectingthe vertical and horizontal portions of the bracket and having its endextended through the horizontal portion to engage a shelf supported onthe bracket, and said pocket in the vertically disposed portion of thebracket being adapted to receive a tongue carried by the shelf.

10. A bracket member having vertically and horizontally disposedportions and a diagonal brace member connecting said portions, saidbrace member having its upper end extending through the horizontallydisposed portion of the bracket and a lip provided on said extended end,the vertically disposed portion of the bracket having a portion thereofadjacent its upper end displaced outwardly to provide a pocket betweenthe material of the bracket and the Wall to which the bracket issecured, there being portions of the bracket on each side of said pocketengaging the wall, a shelf supported on the bracket, said shelf havingan opening receiving the extended end of the diagonal member and havinga downwardly projecting tongue received in said pocket.

11. A bracket member having vertically and horizontally disposedportions and a diagonal brace member connecting said portions, saidbrace member having its upper end extending through the horizontallydisposed portion of the bracket and a lip provided on said extended end,the vertically disposed portion of the bracket having a portion thereofadjacent its upper end displaced outwardly to provide a pocket betweenthe material of the bracket and the wall to which the bracket issecured, there being portions of the bracket on each side of said pocketengaging the wall, a shelf supported on the bracket, said shelf havingan opening receiving the extended end of the diagonal member and havinga flange on the rear edge thereof, said flange being provided with slotsforming a downwardly extending tongue therebetween, said tongue beingreceived in said pocket, and the bracket portions upon each side of saidpocket being received in said slots.

HENRY G. VOIGHT.

